Pearl Adios winning at Morphettville. Our Owner of the Month award winner for April is Richard Angove part owner of Pearl Adios. Richard’s daughter wrote this for us: Richard Angove – or Dick – as most people at the track would know him – has had a long history of horse ownership, both in harness and thoroughbred racing. His ownership in thoroughbred racing has always been with the Macdonald Gluyas stable and started in the 1990s thanks to his daughter’s friendship with Leon and Pam Macdonald’s eldest daughter Christine.  Over the years he has had quite a few horses with the stable, including Dark Banner and Maduro, and encouraged his son Nick and son-in-law Jay Norden to become involved. Nick and Jay became part of a syndicate which raced Al Juman – a filly bought in 2010.  Al Juman had a moderate racing career but went on to mate with Leon’s Victoria Derby-winning stallion Rebel Raider and produced a “string” of Pearls – Pearl Raider, Pearl Bandit, Pearl Dynasty and the last of the Pearls – Pearl Adios. Dick has been involved in all the Pearls and is part of the syndicate that owns Pearl Adios. So far Pearl Adios has had 11 starts for two wins and two placings and this season he reached Listed Level and ran fourth in the time-honoured Port Adelaide Guineas and is showing all the signs of being a solid stable horse. Pearl Adios is as mentioned above by Rebel Raider out of the Al Maher mare Al Juman. He is a rising four-year-old and has so far won two races from eleven starts. As his breeding might suggest Pearl Adios is starting to show his best as he matures, and the length of his races increases. He was able to win his maiden over 1400 m at Balaklava and was then able to win a metropolitan race at his next start over 1600 m before running fourth in the Port Adelaide Guineas. As mentioned, his dam Al Juman was a moderate performer on the track but has done well in the breeding barn especially when she visited Rebel Raider. The “string of pearls” started with Pearl Raider a mare who won twice, then came a full brother Pearl Bandit who has won seven from 43 starts and earnt a touch over $250,000. The next stud visit was to Equiano and that produced Pearl Dragon who was unable to win at seven attempts but did run second on three occasions. Al Juman went back to Rebel Raider to produce Pearl Dynasty who has only raced three times. There is also an unnamed mare by Rebel Raider before Pearl Adios arrived on the scene. The granddam by Snaadee is Mabroukah, and Al Juman is the best of her progeny, the full sister Refaeli managed to win 2 races and almost $75,000. The third dam New Zealand bred Little Recruit (by Staff Sergeant) won at Group 2 level in New Zealand and produced Clangalang (by Clang) winner of the AJC Epsom Handicap and the AJC Derby as well as two Group 3 races and earnings of over $2 million. Clangalang went onto be a successful sire of five black type winners including the Tasmanian superstar Geegees Blackflash winner of 22 races and almost $1.2 million. Richard’s other notable horses include Dark Banner (by Rubiton) who won seven for a touch over $100,000 and Maduro (by Jugah) who was something of an iron horse racing 91 times for 13 wins, 14 seconds and 13 thirds amassing stakes earnings of $325,000 He started his career with Leon Macdonald and then progressed through Mark Minervini and Richard Jolly to finish his career in Darwin with Mark Rattley We probably have not as yet seen the best of Pearl Adios as he is only a three-year-old and being by Rebel Raider probably needs a longer trip to show his best. Good luck to Richard and the other connections.